Hakimi snubs AFCON title, says Senegal deserved victory...

Captain of the Morocco national team, Achraf Hakimi, has rejected the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title awarded to his country following a controversial ruling by the Confederation of African Football.

CBI News reports that Morocco were declared champions after CAF’s Appeal Board overturned their 1–0 defeat to Senegal in the final, ruling that Senegal’s walk-off during the match constituted a forfeiture and awarding a 3–0 victory to the host nation.

The decision has since triggered widespread debate across the football community, with the Fédération Sénégalaise de Football already moving to challenge the ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Reacting to the development, Hakimi distanced himself from the decision, insisting Morocco did not deserve the title.

“My mum told me to reject the AFCON trophy. I’m officially rejecting it and hope my teammates do same. We had a chance but failed to win,” he said.

The Morocco national football team captain stressed that victory should be determined on the pitch, not by post-match rulings.

Hakimi maintained that Senegal deserved the win based on their performance during the final.

“That’s football, sometimes you win and lose. Senegal beat us fairly and deserved it. It will be unfair to ruin their joy after the hardwork,” he added.

His comments align with sentiments expressed by many football commentators who believe the outcome of the match should stand despite the controversy.

The defender, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain, emphasised that accepting the trophy under such circumstances would undermine the spirit of fair play.

He added: “I respect the CAF decision but I’m officially rejecting the trophy. I didn’t win 2025 AFCON. Congratulations to Senegal once again.”